US-Taliban has resumed a fresh round of US-Taliban peace talks in Doha. The US Special representative, Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Doha on Friday night for the 8th round of US-Taliban peace talks. Watch this video to know more.

8th round of US-Taliban peace talks

Washington is hoping for a breakthrough after talks between the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fresh-round-of-us-taliban-talks-in-doha-hope-for-peace-deal-rise-240401">US and the Taliban</a> resumed in Doha Saturday amid renewed efforts to plot an end to Afghanistan's 18-year-long conflict.

The US, which invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban in 2001, wants to withdraw thousands of troops and draw down its longest-ever war.

But it would first seek assurances from the insurgents that they would renounce Al-Qaeda and stop other militants like the Islamic State group using the country as a haven.

The talks were paused on Saturday evening and set to resume Sunday at 0700 GMT, a Taliban source told AFP.

The source also said efforts were underway to organise a direct meeting between US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar, who heads the movement's political wing. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Washington is hoping to strike a peace deal with the Taliban by September 1 -- ahead of Afghan polls due the same month, and US presidential polls due in 2020.

US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that "we've made a lot of progress. We're talking".&nbsp;

A coalition led by Washington ousted the Taliban accusing it of harbouring Al-Qaeda jihadists who claimed the September 11, 2001 attacks against the US that killed almost 3,000 people.

"We are pursuing a peace agreement not a withdrawal agreement, a peace agreement that enables withdrawal," Khalilzad tweeted on Friday as he arrived in Doha after talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad.

"Our presence in Afghanistan is conditions-based, and any withdrawal will be conditions-based."

'No Afghan is inferior'

In another sign of progress, the Afghan government has formed a negotiating team for separate peace talks with the Taliban that diplomats hope could be held as early as later this month.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that an initial deal to end the war would see the US forces in Afghanistan reduced to as low as 8,000 from the current level of around 14,000.

In exchange, the Taliban would abide by a ceasefire, renounce Al-Qaeda, and talk to the Kabul administration.

An Afghan official hinted last week that the government of President Ashraf Ghani was preparing for direct talks with the Taliban, the details of which have yet to be announced.

"We have no preconditions to begin talks, but the peace agreement is not without conditions," Ghani wrote in Pashto on his Facebook page on Friday ahead of the talks.

"We want a republic government not an emirate," he said, a challenge to the Taliban which has insisted on reverting to the "Islamic Emirate" name Afghanistan bore under its rule.

"The negotiations will be tough, and the Taliban should know that no Afghan is inferior in religion or courage to them."

'Joined at the hip'

Council on Foreign Relations counter-terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman said that he doubted the Taliban would ever renounce Al-Qaeda -- potentially hindering any deal.

"I believe that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda will remain joined at the hip," he told AFP, questioning the sense of "believing the word of terrorist organisations".

"The Taliban can negotiate with the United States," he added but suggested that the Taliban would be unlikely to break their personal pledges to Al-Qaeda.

"It means that Al-Qaeda was going to continue fighting, counting on that once the US left Afghanistan it (the US) wasn't going to come back.&nbsp;

"Al-Qaeda and the Taliban would have free rein. It's not a far-fetched assumption."

The thorny issues of power-sharing with the Taliban, the role of regional powers including Pakistan and India, and the fate of Ghani's administration also remain unresolved.

The latest US-Taliban encounter follows last month's talks between influential Afghans and the Taliban which agreed a "roadmap for peace" -- but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire.

Kabul resident Ali Yarmal, 23, said he hoped the US and the Taliban would sign a peace deal.&nbsp;

"We want a prosperous Afghanistan, we want a peaceful Afghanistan. I hope this peace process turns Afghanistan into the prosperous country again," he said.

Apparently believing they have the upper hand in the war, the Taliban have kept up attacks even while talking to the United States and agreeing to the Afghan dialogue.

The United Nations has said that civilian casualty rates across Afghanistan jumped back to record levels last month, following a dip earlier in the year.

More than 1,500 civilians were killed or wounded in the conflict in July, the highest monthly toll so far in 2019 and the deadliest single month since May 2017. 
&nbsp;

Washington is hoping for a breakthrough after talks between the US and the Taliban resumed in Doha Saturday amid renewed efforts to plot an end to Afghanistan's 18-year-long conflict.

Washington is hoping for a breakthrough after talks between the US and the Taliban resumed in Doha Saturday amid renewed efforts to plot an end to Afghanistan's 18-year-long conflict. The US, which invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban in 2001, wants to withdraw thousands of troops and draw down its longest-ever war. But it would first seek assurances from the insurgents that they would renounce Al-Qaeda and stop other militants like the Islamic State group using the country as a haven. The talks were paused on Saturday evening and set to resume Sunday at 0700 GMT, a Taliban source told AFP. The source also said efforts were underway to organise a direct meeting between US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar, who heads the movement's political wing. Washington is hoping to strike a peace deal with the Taliban by September 1 -- ahead of Afghan polls due the same month, and US presidential polls due in 2020. US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that "we've made a lot of progress. We're talking". A coalition led by Washington ousted the Taliban accusing it of harbouring Al-Qaeda jihadists who claimed the September 11, 2001 attacks against the US that killed almost 3,000 people. "We are pursuing a peace agreement not a withdrawal agreement, a peace agreement that enables withdrawal," Khalilzad tweeted on Friday as he arrived in Doha after talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad. "Our presence in Afghanistan is conditions-based, and any withdrawal will be conditions-based." 'No Afghan is inferior' In another sign of progress, the Afghan government has formed a negotiating team for separate peace talks with the Taliban that diplomats hope could be held as early as later this month. The Washington Post reported Thursday that an initial deal to end the war would see the US forces in Afghanistan reduced to as low as 8,000 from the current level of around 14,000. In exchange, the Taliban would abide by a ceasefire, renounce Al-Qaeda, and talk to the Kabul administration. An Afghan official hinted last week that the government of President Ashraf Ghani was preparing for direct talks with the Taliban, the details of which have yet to be announced. "We have no preconditions to begin talks, but the peace agreement is not without conditions," Ghani wrote in Pashto on his Facebook page on Friday ahead of the talks. "We want a republic government not an emirate," he said, a challenge to the Taliban which has insisted on reverting to the "Islamic Emirate" name Afghanistan bore under its rule. "The negotiations will be tough, and the Taliban should know that no Afghan is inferior in religion or courage to them." 'Joined at the hip' Council on Foreign Relations counter-terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman said that he doubted the Taliban would ever renounce Al-Qaeda -- potentially hindering any deal. "I believe that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda will remain joined at the hip," he told AFP, questioning the sense of "believing the word of terrorist organisations". "The Taliban can negotiate with the United States," he added but suggested that the Taliban would be unlikely to break their personal pledges to Al-Qaeda. "It means that Al-Qaeda was going to continue fighting, counting on that once the US left Afghanistan it (the US) wasn't going to come back. "Al-Qaeda and the Taliban would have free rein. It's not a far-fetched assumption." The thorny issues of power-sharing with the Taliban, the role of regional powers including Pakistan and India, and the fate of Ghani's administration also remain unresolved. The latest US-Taliban encounter follows last month's talks between influential Afghans and the Taliban which agreed a "roadmap for peace" -- but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. Kabul resident Ali Yarmal, 23, said he hoped the US and the Taliban would sign a peace deal. "We want a prosperous Afghanistan, we want a peaceful Afghanistan. I hope this peace process turns Afghanistan into the prosperous country again," he said. Apparently believing they have the upper hand in the war, the Taliban have kept up attacks even while talking to the United States and agreeing to the Afghan dialogue. The United Nations has said that civilian casualty rates across Afghanistan jumped back to record levels last month, following a dip earlier in the year. More than 1,500 civilians were killed or wounded in the conflict in July, the highest monthly toll so far in 2019 and the deadliest single month since May 2017.

US eyes breakthrough in push for peace with Taliban

US-Taliban is set to resume peace talks on Afghanistan. The US Special representative, Zalmay Khalilzad has arrived in Doha for the 8th round of US-Taliban peace talks. Watch this video to know more.

U.S-Taliban peace talks: Trump flags progress

A fresh round of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/trump-touts-afghan-peace-progress-but-warns-can-kill-millions-240335">US-Taliban peace talks</a> began in Qatar's capital&nbsp;Doha&nbsp;on Saturday, officials said, describing it to be the "most crucial" phase of negotiations to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan.

Senior officials privy to the talks said a peace agreement could be expected at the end of the eighth round of talks, possibly before August 13, and would enable foreign forces to be withdrawn from the war-torn country.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US peace envoy for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/young-afghans-wary-as-possible-us-taliban-deal-nears-240301">Afghanistan</a> who has held a series of meetings with Taliban leaders since last year, reached&nbsp;Doha&nbsp;on Friday night.

"Just got to&nbsp;Doha&nbsp;to resume talks with the Taliban. We are pursuing a peace agreement not a withdrawal agreement," Khalilzad wrote on Twitter.

"A peace agreement that enables withdrawal. Our (US)&nbsp;presence in Afghanistan is conditions-based, and any withdrawal will be conditions-based," he said, adding the Taliban are signalling they would conclude an agreement.

"We are ready for a good agreement."

Two sources with knowledge of the talks said an agreement on the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees by the Taliban is expected before August 13

About 20,000 foreign troops, most of them American, are now in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces.

The hardline Islamist Taliban group now controls more territory than at any point since the United States bombed them out of power in 2001.

Two Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen and Zabihullah Mujahid said a 19-member Taliban negotiation team will represent them in the&nbsp;Doha&nbsp;peace talks.

"The issue of forces withdrawal has prolonged the peace talks and delayed the deal," said a senior Taliban commander based in Afghanistan on conditions of anonymity.

"There was no way we would allow permanent stay of US forces in Afghanistan after signing a peace deal with them," he said, adding that Taliban will provide complete assurance that no foreign militant group will be allowed to use Afghanistan to launch attacks against the United States and its allies.

Leaders of the insurgent group have repeatedly stated that a ceasefire or talks with the Afghan government and civil society members will not take place until the United States announces a plan for foreign force withdrawal from Afghanistan.

US President Donald Trump wants combat forces reduced in Afghanistan by the next US presidential election in November 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month.

Uncertainty

Fighting in Afghanistan has not subsided. More than 1,500 civilians were killed and injured in July, a record monthly toll this year, and the highest number documented in a month since May 2017, United Nations of Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in a statement on Saturday.

Many Afghans fear a US troop withdrawal announcement will weaken their bargaining power with the hardline Islamist group, which aims to re-establish an Islamic emirate to replace an elected government it dismisses as puppets of foreign forces.

Women’s rights groups in particular worry about the fate of women and girls in the event of a return of the Taliban, who banned girls’ education and imposed severe restrictions on women’s rights to work outside the home.

The sense of uncertainty revolving around the peace talks has become a source of distress with many Afghans fearing a complete collapse of law and order if the United States fails to protect basic freedom guaranteed under the Afghan constitution.

In June, Pompeo said he hoped for a peace deal with the Taliban before September 1.

"The Americans are being hasty to sign the deal. Right now it feels like we will wake up one morning and find the Taliban government has been installed," said Mustafa Karimi, a shopkeeper in Kabul whose brother was killed last year by the Taliban during clashes with Afghan forces.

"Taliban often use Afghan civilians as human shields and now the US are also putting our lives at risk to exit out of Afghanistan," he said.

"We are doomed if the peace talks don't protect our basic rights and freedom."

A fresh round of US-Taliban peace talks began in Qatar's capital Doha on Saturday, officials said, describing it to be the "most crucial" phase of negotiations to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan.

A fresh round of US-Taliban peace talks began in Qatar's capital Doha on Saturday, officials said, describing it to be the "most crucial" phase of negotiations to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan. Senior officials privy to the talks said a peace agreement could be expected at the end of the eighth round of talks, possibly before August 13, and would enable foreign forces to be withdrawn from the war-torn country. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US peace envoy for Afghanistan who has held a series of meetings with Taliban leaders since last year, reached Doha on Friday night. "Just got to Doha to resume talks with the Taliban. We are pursuing a peace agreement not a withdrawal agreement," Khalilzad wrote on Twitter. "A peace agreement that enables withdrawal. Our (US) presence in Afghanistan is conditions-based, and any withdrawal will be conditions-based," he said, adding the Taliban are signalling they would conclude an agreement. "We are ready for a good agreement." Two sources with knowledge of the talks said an agreement on the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for security guarantees by the Taliban is expected before August 13 About 20,000 foreign troops, most of them American, are now in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. The hardline Islamist Taliban group now controls more territory than at any point since the United States bombed them out of power in 2001. Two Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen and Zabihullah Mujahid said a 19-member Taliban negotiation team will represent them in the Doha peace talks. "The issue of forces withdrawal has prolonged the peace talks and delayed the deal," said a senior Taliban commander based in Afghanistan on conditions of anonymity. "There was no way we would allow permanent stay of US forces in Afghanistan after signing a peace deal with them," he said, adding that Taliban will provide complete assurance that no foreign militant group will be allowed to use Afghanistan to launch attacks against the United States and its allies. Leaders of the insurgent group have repeatedly stated that a ceasefire or talks with the Afghan government and civil society members will not take place until the United States announces a plan for foreign force withdrawal from Afghanistan. US President Donald Trump wants combat forces reduced in Afghanistan by the next US presidential election in November 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month. Uncertainty Fighting in Afghanistan has not subsided. More than 1,500 civilians were killed and injured in July, a record monthly toll this year, and the highest number documented in a month since May 2017, United Nations of Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in a statement on Saturday. Many Afghans fear a US troop withdrawal announcement will weaken their bargaining power with the hardline Islamist group, which aims to re-establish an Islamic emirate to replace an elected government it dismisses as puppets of foreign forces. Women’s rights groups in particular worry about the fate of women and girls in the event of a return of the Taliban, who banned girls’ education and imposed severe restrictions on women’s rights to work outside the home. The sense of uncertainty revolving around the peace talks has become a source of distress with many Afghans fearing a complete collapse of law and order if the United States fails to protect basic freedom guaranteed under the Afghan constitution. In June, Pompeo said he hoped for a peace deal with the Taliban before September 1. "The Americans are being hasty to sign the deal. Right now it feels like we will wake up one morning and find the Taliban government has been installed," said Mustafa Karimi, a shopkeeper in Kabul whose brother was killed last year by the Taliban during clashes with Afghan forces. "Taliban often use Afghan civilians as human shields and now the US are also putting our lives at risk to exit out of Afghanistan," he said. "We are doomed if the peace talks don't protect our basic rights and freedom."

New round of US-Taliban talks open in Doha amid hope for peace deal

US-Taliban is set to resume peace talks on Afghanistan. The US Special representative, Zalmay Khalilzad has arrived in Doha for 8th round of US-Taliban peace talks. Watch this video to know more.

US Special representative arrives in Doha for US-Taliban peace talks

WION Fineprint: Intra-Afghan meet after US-Taliban talks. Watch video to know more.

WION Fineprint: Intra-Afghan meet after US-Taliban talks

There is movement towards peace in Afghanistan – or at least towards an end to the American military ordeal there, which has lasted for almost 18 years.

US officials and representatives of the Taliban insurgents have held seven rounds of direct talks in the tiny Gulf state of Qatar since last October, and they are getting close to a deal.

During a visit to Afghanistan last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump administration hoped for “a peace deal before September 1st.”

This prospect is not getting much attention because everybody is worried that Trump is about to blunder his way into a new and much bigger war with next-door Iran, but it really could happen. American troops could all be gone from Afghanistan 18 months from now.

The real question is: How long after that will it be before the Taliban are back in power?

When a great power loses a war with a much weaker enemy in a very much poorer country, it can’t actually admit defeat. That’s just too humiliating. So the local victors often have to let the great-power loser save face by giving it a “decent interval” (in Henry Kissinger’s deathless phrase) after the great power’s troops pull out before they collect their winnings.

How long is a ‘decent interval’? Generally around three years. That’s how long North Vietnam waited after US troops left South Vietnam (1972) before overrunning the South (1975). It’s how long it took after Russian troops left Afghanistan (1989) before their puppet government in Kabul was destroyed (1992) – although a civil war between rival Islamist groups prevented the Taliban from occupying the capital until four years later.

And it’s probably about how long the Taliban will have to wait after US troops leave Afghanistan this time (say late 2020, just before the US election), before they are formally back in power in Kabul (2023?).

There’s still a lot of killing going on in Afghanistan – around 20 civilians killed or wounded on an average day, at least twice that number of government troops, and large numbers of Taliban too – but the Taliban have won.

Even with huge US air support, the more-or-less elected government that the United States created in Kabul has lost control of one-third of Afghanistan since American and other Western troops pulled out of ground combat roles in 2014. Another third of the country is government-controlled by day, Taliban-run at night.

If the remaining 14,000 US troops and their associated air power leave, it’s game over for President Ashraf Ghani’s ‘puppet’ government (as the Taliban call it). The US implicitly recognises this reality, because it’s only American diplomats, not official Afghan government representatives, who are negotiating with the Taliban in Qatar.&nbsp;

A few Afghan officials were allowed to be present at the last round of the Qatar peace talks ‘in a personal capacity’, but they weren’t negotiating anything. Ghani’s government will have to accept whatever deal the United States makes, knowing perfectly well that they are being abandoned. After that, they will have no options left except to steal as much as they can, and then get out before the roof falls in.

And how will the White House justify selling out its Afghan allies and dependants to itself? Without any great difficulty, if the ‘Nixon Tapes’ are any guide. The key conversation between President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger in August 1972, when they were deciding to rat on South Vietnam, was recorded on the White House system and subsequently made public during the ‘Watergate’ scandal:&nbsp;

Nixon: “Can we have a viable foreign policy if a year from now or two years from now, North Vietnam gobbles up South Vietnam? That’s the real question.”

Kissinger: “(Yes), if it looks as if it’s the result of South Vietnamese incompetence. If we now sell out in such a way that, say, within a three- to four-month period, we have pushed (them) over the brink...it won’t help us all that much. So we’ve got to find some formula that holds the thing together a year or two... after which — after a year, Mr. President, Vietnam will be a backwater. If we settle it, say, this October, by January ‘74 no one will give a damn.”

It worked for Nixon and Kissinger, and it can work for Trump and Pompeo too. They may not be as clever or as cunning, but they are just as ruthless.&nbsp;

The pull-out won’t come back to bite them politically, either, because the Taliban were never interested in attacking the United States. (That was al-Qaeda.)

The only losers in the settlement will be the Afghans, who have to live under Taliban rule again. But that was always going to happen in the end. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-a-decent-afghan-interval-2772649">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

There is movement towards peace in Afghanistan – or at least towards an end to the American military ordeal there, which has lasted for almost 18 years. US officials and representatives of the Taliban insurgents have held seven rounds of direct talks in the tiny Gulf state of Qatar since last October, and they are getting close to a deal.

There is movement towards peace in Afghanistan – or at least towards an end to the American military ordeal there, which has lasted for almost 18 years. US officials and representatives of the Taliban insurgents have held seven rounds of direct talks in the tiny Gulf state of Qatar since last October, and they are getting close to a deal. During a visit to Afghanistan last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump administration hoped for “a peace deal before September 1st.” This prospect is not getting much attention because everybody is worried that Trump is about to blunder his way into a new and much bigger war with next-door Iran, but it really could happen. American troops could all be gone from Afghanistan 18 months from now. The real question is: How long after that will it be before the Taliban are back in power? When a great power loses a war with a much weaker enemy in a very much poorer country, it can’t actually admit defeat. That’s just too humiliating. So the local victors often have to let the great-power loser save face by giving it a “decent interval” (in Henry Kissinger’s deathless phrase) after the great power’s troops pull out before they collect their winnings. How long is a ‘decent interval’? Generally around three years. That’s how long North Vietnam waited after US troops left South Vietnam (1972) before overrunning the South (1975). It’s how long it took after Russian troops left Afghanistan (1989) before their puppet government in Kabul was destroyed (1992) – although a civil war between rival Islamist groups prevented the Taliban from occupying the capital until four years later. And it’s probably about how long the Taliban will have to wait after US troops leave Afghanistan this time (say late 2020, just before the US election), before they are formally back in power in Kabul (2023?). There’s still a lot of killing going on in Afghanistan – around 20 civilians killed or wounded on an average day, at least twice that number of government troops, and large numbers of Taliban too – but the Taliban have won. Even with huge US air support, the more-or-less elected government that the United States created in Kabul has lost control of one-third of Afghanistan since American and other Western troops pulled out of ground combat roles in 2014. Another third of the country is government-controlled by day, Taliban-run at night. If the remaining 14,000 US troops and their associated air power leave, it’s game over for President Ashraf Ghani’s ‘puppet’ government (as the Taliban call it). The US implicitly recognises this reality, because it’s only American diplomats, not official Afghan government representatives, who are negotiating with the Taliban in Qatar. A few Afghan officials were allowed to be present at the last round of the Qatar peace talks ‘in a personal capacity’, but they weren’t negotiating anything. Ghani’s government will have to accept whatever deal the United States makes, knowing perfectly well that they are being abandoned. After that, they will have no options left except to steal as much as they can, and then get out before the roof falls in. And how will the White House justify selling out its Afghan allies and dependants to itself? Without any great difficulty, if the ‘Nixon Tapes’ are any guide. The key conversation between President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger in August 1972, when they were deciding to rat on South Vietnam, was recorded on the White House system and subsequently made public during the ‘Watergate’ scandal: Nixon: “Can we have a viable foreign policy if a year from now or two years from now, North Vietnam gobbles up South Vietnam? That’s the real question.” Kissinger: “(Yes), if it looks as if it’s the result of South Vietnamese incompetence. If we now sell out in such a way that, say, within a three- to four-month period, we have pushed (them) over the brink...it won’t help us all that much. So we’ve got to find some formula that holds the thing together a year or two... after which — after a year, Mr. President, Vietnam will be a backwater. If we settle it, say, this October, by January ‘74 no one will give a damn.” It worked for Nixon and Kissinger, and it can work for Trump and Pompeo too. They may not be as clever or as cunning, but they are just as ruthless. The pull-out won’t come back to bite them politically, either, because the Taliban were never interested in attacking the United States. (That was al-Qaeda.) The only losers in the settlement will be the Afghans, who have to live under Taliban rule again. But that was always going to happen in the end. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

US-Taliban peace talks: The only losers in the settlement will be Afghans

An Afghan delegation is in Qatar for peace talks with Taliban leaders, with the hopes of ending the 18-year-long conflict in Afghanistan.

The United States has now realised that talking to the Afghan Taliban is the only solution. The same Taliban against whom they have been engaged in a battle for over 18 years.

The war which has left thousands dead and scores injured has been the common suffering for the people of Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban as per reports, control&nbsp;55% of the Afghan territory.

The United States in a bid for a negotiated settlement has been engaging in rounds of dialogue since September 2018 with the Taliban. The talks that have been facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar are happening at the Taliban’s political office in Doha seems to have had significant headway.&nbsp;

Although in the same talks, the Taliban are adamant that they would not be talking to the Afghan government sighting reasons that they are an illegitimate and imposed regime.

As the US sat down in Doha for the seventh round of talks from June 29, 2019, the Taliban despite the ongoing talks did not stop with their offence.

Two days into the talks at Doha, on July 1 the Taliban struck in the heart of Kabul as what they call, the target was the ministry of Defence, a huge blast followed by 5 gunmen storming into the building. The intensity of the blast so huge, that its shockwaves were felt in about 6 kilometres radius.&nbsp;

The school next to the ministry of defence suffered greater damage, mostly school children were injured. Blood soaked pictures of school children made rounds on social media, forty-five people were killed, one hundred and sixteen wounded. The Taliban claimed it, the US condemned it – All this while the two continued to talk in Doha on Afghan peace.

But that was not the end, a week later the Taliban struck again. On July 7 2019, this time in the province of Ghazni. The Taliban claim they targeted an NDS facility, for yet another time another school adjacent suffered damage. Fourteen people were killed, this included 6 civilians. A senior Taliban official while speaking to WION said that “they try their level best to strike at persistence however these facilities have been tactically made among general public places. We try to keep the civilian death toll as minimal as it could be”.

As the two major stakeholders of Afghanistan continue to engage in a negotiated settlement, the people of Afghanistan continue to suffer. The Taliban refuse to bow down or give up their spring offensive resulting in mass number of civilian casualties, something that the Taliban denied. What needs to be seen is that the fresh round of talks in Doha, would that be fruitful in ending the sufferings of Afghans or would they continue.

An Afghan delegation is in Qatar for peace talks with Taliban leaders, with the hopes of ending the 18-year-long conflict in Afghanistan. The United States has now realised that talking to the Afghan Taliban is the only solution.

An Afghan delegation is in Qatar for peace talks with Taliban leaders, with the hopes of ending the 18-year-long conflict in Afghanistan. The United States has now realised that talking to the Afghan Taliban is the only solution. The same Taliban against whom they have been engaged in a battle for over 18 years. The war which has left thousands dead and scores injured has been the common suffering for the people of Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban as per reports, control 55% of the Afghan territory. The United States in a bid for a negotiated settlement has been engaging in rounds of dialogue since September 2018 with the Taliban. The talks that have been facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar are happening at the Taliban’s political office in Doha seems to have had significant headway. Although in the same talks, the Taliban are adamant that they would not be talking to the Afghan government sighting reasons that they are an illegitimate and imposed regime. As the US sat down in Doha for the seventh round of talks from June 29, 2019, the Taliban despite the ongoing talks did not stop with their offence. Two days into the talks at Doha, on July 1 the Taliban struck in the heart of Kabul as what they call, the target was the ministry of Defence, a huge blast followed by 5 gunmen storming into the building. The intensity of the blast so huge, that its shockwaves were felt in about 6 kilometres radius. The school next to the ministry of defence suffered greater damage, mostly school children were injured. Blood soaked pictures of school children made rounds on social media, forty-five people were killed, one hundred and sixteen wounded. The Taliban claimed it, the US condemned it – All this while the two continued to talk in Doha on Afghan peace. But that was not the end, a week later the Taliban struck again. On July 7 2019, this time in the province of Ghazni. The Taliban claim they targeted an NDS facility, for yet another time another school adjacent suffered damage. Fourteen people were killed, this included 6 civilians. A senior Taliban official while speaking to WION said that “they try their level best to strike at persistence however these facilities have been tactically made among general public places. We try to keep the civilian death toll as minimal as it could be”. As the two major stakeholders of Afghanistan continue to engage in a negotiated settlement, the people of Afghanistan continue to suffer. The Taliban refuse to bow down or give up their spring offensive resulting in mass number of civilian casualties, something that the Taliban denied. What needs to be seen is that the fresh round of talks in Doha, would that be fruitful in ending the sufferings of Afghans or would they continue.

Afghanistan war: 18 years later, no end in sight; US-Taliban talks amid more attacks

The seventh round of peace <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-taliban-talks-to-pause-for-intra-afghan-summit-233612">talks between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban</a> that are ongoing in Qatar are the "most productive" so far, US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said Saturday.

"These six days have been the most productive of the rounds we've had with the Talibs... we made progress on all the issues that we have been discussing," Khalilzad said in Qatar.

The insurgents have been meeting with the US envoy in &nbsp;Doha to try to forge a deal that would see the US military quit Afghanistan in return for various guarantees.

Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman for the Taliban's office in Qatar, said they were pleased with the discussions so far.

"We are happy with the progress and hope the rest of the work is also done. We have not faced any obstacles yet," he tweeted.

But the talks are set to be paused for two days while another summit with Afghan representatives takes place in Qatar's capital.

"Tomorrow and the day after, because of the intra-Afghan conference, no talks will take place," Shaheen said.

US envoy Khalilzad confirmed direct US-Taliban talks will restart on Tuesday.

About 60 Afghan delegates are expected to attend Sunday's so-called intra-Afghan dialogue, including political figures, women and various Afghan stakeholders.

The Taliban, who have steadfastly refused to negotiate with the government of President Ashraf Ghani, have stressed that those attending the talks planned for Sunday and Monday will only do so in a "personal capacity".

But the US has made it clear the Taliban must talk with the Afghan government before a peace deal can be completed.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said he hopes for an agreement before September 1.

The seventh round of peace talks between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban that are ongoing in Qatar are the "most productive" so far, US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said Saturday.

The seventh round of peace talks between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban that are ongoing in Qatar are the "most productive" so far, US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said Saturday. "These six days have been the most productive of the rounds we've had with the Talibs... we made progress on all the issues that we have been discussing," Khalilzad said in Qatar. The insurgents have been meeting with the US envoy in Doha to try to forge a deal that would see the US military quit Afghanistan in return for various guarantees. Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman for the Taliban's office in Qatar, said they were pleased with the discussions so far. "We are happy with the progress and hope the rest of the work is also done. We have not faced any obstacles yet," he tweeted. But the talks are set to be paused for two days while another summit with Afghan representatives takes place in Qatar's capital. "Tomorrow and the day after, because of the intra-Afghan conference, no talks will take place," Shaheen said. US envoy Khalilzad confirmed direct US-Taliban talks will restart on Tuesday. About 60 Afghan delegates are expected to attend Sunday's so-called intra-Afghan dialogue, including political figures, women and various Afghan stakeholders. The Taliban, who have steadfastly refused to negotiate with the government of President Ashraf Ghani, have stressed that those attending the talks planned for Sunday and Monday will only do so in a "personal capacity". But the US has made it clear the Taliban must talk with the Afghan government before a peace deal can be completed. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said he hopes for an agreement before September 1.

US says latest Taliban talks 'most productive' so far

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/washington-eyes-a-breakthrough-as-us-taliban-resume-talks-on-ending-war-231605">Washington eyes breakthrough as US, Taliban resume talks on ending war</a>

The United States and the Taliban opened fresh negotiations in Doha on Saturday, a Taliban spokesman said, as Washington eyes a breakthrough before Afghanistan's September presidential election.

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US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Kim Jong-un "very much wants" to meet him, a day after inviting the North Korean leader for a handshake in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that divides the peninsula, reported news agency AFP.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/investigation-is-still-underway-french-ambassador-on-data-theft-from-indian-air-forces-rafale-team-office-in-paris-231603">'Probe underway': French envoy on data theft during break-in into Rafale project team office in Paris</a>

French ambassador to India, Alexandre Ziegler, on Saturday said the investigation into a possible data theft during the break-in into the Rafale project management team office in Paris is still underway.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-intercepts-two-yemen-rebel-drones-coalition-231615">Saudi Arabia intercepts two Yemen rebel drones: Riyadh-led coalition</a>

Two Yemeni rebel drones targeting southern Saudi Arabia were intercepted on Saturday, a Riyadh-led military coalition said, the latest in a series of assaults on the kingdom.

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&nbsp;

Washington eyes breakthrough as US, Taliban resume talks on ending war The United States and the Taliban opened fresh negotiations in Doha on Saturday, a Taliban spokesman said, as Washington eyes a breakthrough before Afghanistan's September presidential election.

Washington eyes breakthrough as US, Taliban resume talks on ending war The United States and the Taliban opened fresh negotiations in Doha on Saturday, a Taliban spokesman said, as Washington eyes a breakthrough before Afghanistan's September presidential election. 'He very much wants to': Trump on possible encounter with Kim US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Kim Jong-un "very much wants" to meet him, a day after inviting the North Korean leader for a handshake in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that divides the peninsula, reported news agency AFP. 'Probe underway': French envoy on data theft during break-in into Rafale project team office in Paris French ambassador to India, Alexandre Ziegler, on Saturday said the investigation into a possible data theft during the break-in into the Rafale project management team office in Paris is still underway. Saudi Arabia intercepts two Yemen rebel drones: Riyadh-led coalition Two Yemeni rebel drones targeting southern Saudi Arabia were intercepted on Saturday, a Riyadh-led military coalition said, the latest in a series of assaults on the kingdom. First 'Mann ki Baat' after Modi's return to power to air today Prime Minister Narendra Modi's radio programme "Mann Ki Baat" will resume today almost a month after the PM returned to power.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The United States and the Taliban will open fresh negotiations next week, the US negotiator said Saturday, as he voiced hope for progress in ending America's longest war.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special representative on Afghanistan, said the two sides would start their seventh round of talks on June 29.

"Based on my recent visits to Afghanistan and Qatar, I believe all sides want rapid progress," Khalilzad wrote on Twitter.

The State Department, announcing Khalilzad's travel before the date of the latest talks were set, said the negotiations with the Taliban would take place as usual in Qatar.

Khalilzad is hoping to negotiate a deal under which the United States would withdraw troops first sent after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

In turn, the Taliban would guarantee that Afghanistan would not be used as a staging ground by Islamist extremists such as Al-Qaeda -- the main reason for the US invasion nearly two decades earlier.

The Taliban have refused the US appeals to end the violence to improve the atmosphere of talks, instead of pressing on with their insurgency.

Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada in a message for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr earlier this month said that the Taliban's "resistance against the occupation is nearing the stage of success."

In another key sticking point, the Taliban have not negotiated with the internationally recognized government in Kabul, although a UN official recently confirmed that Germany and Qatar were working to organize an inter-Afghan meeting.

President Donald Trump has voiced impatience with the war, believing there is no further reason to bear the cost in money or lives.

The United States and the Taliban will open fresh negotiations next week, the US negotiator said Saturday, as he voiced hope for progress in ending America's longest war.

The United States and the Taliban will open fresh negotiations next week, the US negotiator said Saturday, as he voiced hope for progress in ending America's longest war. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special representative on Afghanistan, said the two sides would start their seventh round of talks on June 29. "Based on my recent visits to Afghanistan and Qatar, I believe all sides want rapid progress," Khalilzad wrote on Twitter. The State Department, announcing Khalilzad's travel before the date of the latest talks were set, said the negotiations with the Taliban would take place as usual in Qatar. Khalilzad is hoping to negotiate a deal under which the United States would withdraw troops first sent after the September 11, 2001 attacks. In turn, the Taliban would guarantee that Afghanistan would not be used as a staging ground by Islamist extremists such as Al-Qaeda -- the main reason for the US invasion nearly two decades earlier. The Taliban have refused the US appeals to end the violence to improve the atmosphere of talks, instead of pressing on with their insurgency. Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada in a message for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr earlier this month said that the Taliban's "resistance against the occupation is nearing the stage of success." In another key sticking point, the Taliban have not negotiated with the internationally recognized government in Kabul, although a UN official recently confirmed that Germany and Qatar were working to organize an inter-Afghan meeting. President Donald Trump has voiced impatience with the war, believing there is no further reason to bear the cost in money or lives.

Afghanistan: US, Taliban to hold more talks on ending war

U.S. and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their sixth round of peace talks on Thursday with “some progress” made on a draft agreement for when foreign troops might withdraw from Afghanistan.

Sixth round of Taliban-U.S. peace talks end

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